on simple delights in books + music
what moments spark joy for you today?
Hi friends,
On Sunday, I shared a conversation with author Anne Marie Wells about her travel memoir Happy Iceland, releasing June 27th. We talked about her writing process, what inspired her trip to Iceland, what she learned about community and happiness, and the song she can’t stop listening to. What stayed with me afterward was her habit of noticing what she calls “simple delights” throughout her day.
What stayed with me was how simple and accessible the practice felt. I’ve dabbled in gratitude journaling over the years, but this felt slightly different. It wasn’t about documenting what I was thankful for; it was about paying attention. It asks you to be present enough to notice moments of joy, no matter how big or small they might be.
When I started thinking about the delights in my own life, they almost always centered on books or music. Sometimes it’s hearing the opening notes of a song I haven’t listened to in years. Sometimes it’s a sentence so good I stop reading and immediately reread it before writing it down in my journal, my Notes app, or the nearest notebook I can find. Sometimes I find myself so immersed in a story that an hour passes without me noticing. Other times, it’s dancing too hard in my living room after pressing shuffle on Spotify.
Lately I’ve been trying to pay closer attention to those moments. In the spirit of Anne Marie’s question, I put together a list of the book and music moments that have delighted me recently. I felt like this list could be excessive because, naturally, I tend to follow joy daily, so I stopped myself at under twenty things.
The weather shifting just enough to let me read in my favorite location: in front of the window on my couch or on the floor.
Running out of Spotify audiobook hours for the first time ever, after finally stopping waiting for perfect listening conditions.
Finding 114 unread books on my bookshelf after reorganizing it for the first time in years. While excessive, I now have 114 new-to-me books I can read.
Reading Good People by Patmeena Sabit and getting to talk about it with my friend Kate Hergott for her podcast Bookwild.
Falling deeper in love with Destin Conrad’s album wHIMSY!
They All Fall in Love in the End by Halli Blessingame, a debut I didn’t want to put down.
Watching the Earth, Wind & Fire documentary after reading Maurice White’s memoir. The memoir gave me the story, the documentary gave me the feeling. The story behind the song “Reason” surprised me.
Revisiting this list of music focused books to read for Black Music Month (and this one as well).
This passage from Kennedy Ryan’s new novel Score that I had to read twice:
“Something we’re captive to, at the mercy of; our bodies so entangled it feels like our very souls are joined. The careful separations of commas and dashes and periods dissolve, and we are a run-on sentence. So caught up in right now untilwecannotdistinguishwhereoneendsandtheotherbegins.”
Nick Young and Brandon Jennings dancing to Yung Miami’s “Spend Dat.” I really enjoy the joy people get from this song. Song of the summer contender for sure.
Seeing Corinne Bailey Rae live last Tuesday performing songs from her debut album 20 years later. When I tell you my heart smiled, it would be an understatement. (I wrote about this album a few months ago, here)
What’s delighted you recently? Hit reply or leave a comment below. I’d love to know.
A little bit more for this week
If Sunday’s conversation is still with you: Anne Marie Wells’s debut travel memoir, Happy Iceland, is available for pre-order now and releases June 27th.
The album that still holds up: Corinne Bailey Rae’s self-titled debut turns 20 this year and holds up completely.
For when you want to go deeper on EWF: Maurice White’s memoir, My Life With Earth, Wind & Fire, is the context that makes everything else land differently.
Finding happiness in simple moments: The full conversation with Anne Marie Wells is on the podcast now.
Great post!